Episode 4 - Alexandra Pushkin - Black father of Russian literature

In this episode of the Black history Buff podcast, we look at the life of Alexandra Pushkin. I also look briefly into the Russian "Caucasian War" at the end of the show.

Born in 18th century Russia, Alexandar Pushkin was Russian nobility and would eventually become immortalised as the “Father of Russian literature.” 

Pushkin was born in Moscow, on the 26th May 1799. His great-grandfather was Abram Petrovich Gannibal. 

Gannibal (sometimes written Hannibal), was very young when he was kidnapped from Africa and sent to Constantinople as a captive. From there, he was brought to the Court of Peter the Great in St. Petersburg.
The Csar became very fond of the young boy. He made him his godson, giving him his name, Petrovitch, meaning son of Peter, and sent him to study in France. Gannibal’s rank and accomplishments eventually permitting him noble status. This status permitted Pushkin, aged 12 to enter the freshly created Imperial Lycee ( A school for the elite) at St. Petersburg. 

Described at the time by his teachers as “Lazy… Inattentive in class…Immodest” and as making "mediocre progress,” Pushkin stunned those very same teachers three years later when aged only 15 he published his first Poem to national acclaim. The fantastic thing about this poem was that it was written in Russian and not French which was the language of the Elite at that time.

Credits:
Music by - @blackmusichistory & @jsymoezart
Cover art by @black_history_buff_777

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@artishldn
@chris_antonie7
@eye_black_man_podcast

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